The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1887-09-21


closed for some weeks for improvements
and engagements, the Brooklyn taber-
nacle was opened to-day. The same over
whelming throngs were in attendance as
before. The congregation sang with
great effect the hymn:
Before Jebovah's awful throne
We nations bow with sacred Joy;
Know that the Lord Is God alone
He can create aud he destroy.
After explaining appropriate passages
Of Scripture DIR. Talmage took his text
from Genesis XII, Al: ''And Pharaoh
said unto Joseph: See, | have set thee
over all the land of Egypt The subject
of the sermon was THE Prime Minister /"
Or. Talniage said:
You cannot keep a good man down.
God has decreed for him certain eleva-
ton to which he must attain He will
bring him through, though it cost him
thousand worlds. There are men con-
stantly in trouble lest they shall not DO
appreciated. Every man comes in the
end 10 he valued at just what he is worth.
How often you see men turn out all their
forces 10 crush one man or set Of men,
How do they succeed! No better than
did the government that tried to crush
Joseph, Scripture character, upon which
we speak today. 1t would be an insult
10 suppose that you were not all familiar
with the life Of Joseph; how his jealous
brothers threw him into the pit, but, see
ing caravan Of Arabian merchants
moving along on their camels with spices
and gums that loaded the air with aroma,
sold their brother to these merchants,
who carried him down into Egypt; how
Joseph was sold TO Potipbar, a man of
influence and office; how, by his integ
rity. lac raised himself TO high position in
the realm, until, under the false charge
Of a vile wretch, he was hurled into the
penitentiary; how in prison he COM
manded respect and confidence; how, by
the Interpretation of PharaOh's dream, he
was freed and became the chief man in
government, the Bismarck of the nation;
how in time Of famine Joseph had the
control of storehouse which he had filed
during the seven years of plenty; how,
when his brothers who had thrown him
into the pit and sold him into captivity
applied for corn, he sent them home with
their beasts borne down under the heft of
the corn sacks; how the sin against their
brother, which had 50 long been hidden,
came out at last and was returned by
that brothers forgiveness and kind
ness, an illustrious triumph of Christian
principle.
Learn from this story, in the first
place, that the world is compelled to
honor Christian character. Potphar was
only man Of the world, yet Joseph rose
in his estimation until all the affairs of
that great house were committed to his
charge. From this servant no honors or
condolences were withheld. When Joseph
was in prison he soon won the heart of
the keeper, and, though placed there for
being scoundrel, he soon convinced the
jailer that he was an innocent and trust
worthy man, and, released from close
confinement, he became general super
intendent Of prison affairs. Wherever
Joseph was placed, whether a servant in
the house of Potiphar or a prisoner in
the penitentiary, he became the first man
everywhere, and is an illustration of the
truth l lay down that the world is COM
PEELED TO honor Christian character.
There are those who affect to despise a
religious life. They speak of it as sys-
tenn Of phlebotomy by which man is
bled of all his courage and nobility. They
say he has bemeaned himself. They pre-
tend 10 have no more confidence in him
since his conversion than before his con-
version. But all that is hypocrisy, 1t is
impossible for any man not to admire and
confide in Christian who shows that he
has really become child of God and is
what he processes TO be. You cannot
despise son or a daughter of the Lord
God Almighty. OF course half and half
religious character wins no appreciation.
Redwald the king of the Saxons, after
Christian baptism had two affairs, one for
a. 4 Al. n a..
sacrifice of devils. YoN may have a
contempt for such men, for mere pre-
tension of religion, but when you
beheld the excellency of Jesus Christ
come out in the life of one of his
disciples, all that there is good and noble
in your soul rises up into admiration.
Though that Christian be as far beneath
you in estate as the Egyptian slave
whom we are discussing, by an irrevo-
cable law of our nature Potiphar and
Pharaoh will always esteem Joseph.
Chrysostom when threatened with death
by Eudoxia, the empress, sent word to
her saying: go tell her that fear moth
ing but sin. Such nobility of character
will always be applauded. There was
something in Agrippa and Felix which
demanded their respect for Paul, the rebel
would willingly have yielded their office
and dignity for the thousandth part of
that true heroism which heamed in the
eye and beat in the heart of the uncon-
querable apostle. The infidel and world
ling are compelled to honor in their
hearts, though they may not eulogize
with their lips Christian firm in perse-
cution, cheerful in poverty, trustful in
losses, triumphant III death. I find Chris
tian men in all professions and occupa,
tons, and 1 find them respected. anG
honorcd, and successful. John Frederick
Oberlin alternating ignorance and distress
John Howard passing from dungeon te
lazarctto with healing for the body and
the soul, Elizabeth Frye coming to the
profligate of Newgate prison to shak,
down their obduracy as the angel came
10 tho prison at Philippi, driving oper
the doors and swapping locks and chains
as well as the lives of thousands of the
followers of Jesus who have devoted
themselves TO the temporal and spiritua
welfare of the race, are monuments o.
the Christian religion that shall no
crumblc while the world lasts. A man il
the cars said: Il would like to become |,
Christian if only knew what religion is
But il this lying and cheating and bad be
havior among men who profess To be gooC
Is religion, want none of it. But. my
friends, if / am an artist in. Rome and ;
man comes to me and asks what the ar
OF painting is. must not show him the
daub of some mere pretender. / viii
take him to the Raphaels and the Michael
Angeles. IL is most unfair and dishonest
to take the ignominious failures in Chris
tan profession instead of the glorious
successes. The Bible and the church are
great picture galleries filled with master
pieces.
Furthermore, we learn from this story
OF Joseph that the result of persecution is
elevation Had it not been for his being
sold into Egyptian bondage by his mali
cious brothers and lis false Imprisonment
Joseph would never have become prime
minister. Everybody accepts the prom
ise. BLESSED are they that are perse-
cuted for righteousness sake; for theirs is
the kingdom of heaven but they do not
realize the fact that this principle applies
TO worldly as well rs spiritual success 1t
Is true an all departments. Had it not
been for Eschines, who brought i'm
parchment against Demosthenes, the inn
mortal Grafton DE Corona would never
JAZZ S<Va uth'cieu. Meii rise 10 nigR
political position through misrepresenta-
ton and the assault of the public. Pub
lie abuse is all that some of our public
men have had to rely upon for their ele-
walton. 1t has brought to them what
talent and executive force could never
have achieved. Many of those who are
making great effort for place and power
viii never succeed just because they are
not Of enough importance to be
abused. 1t is the nature of man
10 gather about those who are
prosecuted and defend them. and they